Electric welding clamping device.



No. 804,045. PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905. A. F. RIETZEL.

ELECTRIC WELDING GLAMPING DEVICE.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 16, 1903.

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W/TNESSES: INVENTOI? lqzlfjez YW. 7, hp

1 A TTORNBS PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905.

A. P. EIETZEL.

ELECTRIC WELDING CLAMPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16, 1903.

2 3EEETS-SHEET 2.

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VXSJQc QZ ATTORNEYS WITNESSES. v fiiafjiz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTQE.

ADOLPH F. RIETZEL, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THOMSON ELECTRIC WELDING COMPANY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPO- RATION OF MAINE.

ELECTRIC WELDlNG CLAMPING DEVEICE.

No. 804,045. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov. 7, 1905. Application filerl November 16,1903. Serial No. 181,420.

To 107L077? it y 00716677 of pressure applied to the heated work and Be it known that I, ADOLPH F. RIETZEL, a preferably, also, in a line which is transverse citizen of the United States, and a resident of as well to the line of clamping pressure. Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of h lyinvention consists, further, in thedetails 5 Massachusetts, have invented a certain new of construction and preferred arrangements and useful Improvement in Electric lVelding of devices whereby the desired adjustment ClampingDevices, (Universal Adjustment,)of may be accomplished. which the following is a specification. My invention consists, further, in mounting My invention relates to that class of metalthe clamp-bod y carrying the clamp-jaws on Io working apparatus in which the metal is an axis which permits said clamp-body to heated by an electric current while held in turn and change the line on which the work suitable clamping or holding devices properly held by it is presented to the portion of work constructed or mounted to permit them to be in the opposite pair of clamping-jaws. moved toward one another for the purpose of My invention consists, further, in the means 15 applying pressure to the heated metal. for supporting the clamp-jaw proper upon My invention is especially useful for that the jaw-carrying slide or block to permit it class of electric metal-working apparatus in to be readily detachable, as also to secure a which a welding or upsetting operation is carcapacity for adjustment of said jaw upon the ried on and in which the heated section of block or slide in a direction transverse to the 20 work is heated to the desired temperature by line of pressure applied to the heated work.

electric currents of large volume and low elee- In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is tromotive force passed through the work 10- a plan View of apparatus embodying my incated in the space between two pairs of clampvertion. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the ing-jaws or similar devices. same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation.

25 The primary object of my invention is to Referring to the drawings, 22 indicate the provide means whereby any desired relation two blocks or platens of an electric metalor adjustment of the pairs of clamping deworking apparatus. These blocks or platens 8o vices may be secured in order to adjust or deare located upon or are in electrical union termine their alinement. In electric welding with the terminals 1 l of any source of heat- 0 operations this is a very necessary feature of ing-current, which may be the secondary of the machine, since the pieces to be welded a suitable transformer, as well understood in must, especially with delicate work, be placed the art, or other desired source. Means as in perfect alinement in order to obtain good usual in the art are provided for forcing results. Hence in this class of machines proone platen toward the otheras, for instance,

3 5 vision is made for adjustability of the clamps the right-hand platen 2 in the direction of the in all directions, while at the same time searrow, Fig. 1t0 apply pressure to the heated curing the necessary rigidity and the neceswork. These devices and the means guiding 9o sary contact-surfaces between the parts which or immediately supporting either or both move one upon the other. Heretofore such platens or for adjusting the same in the direc- 4o adjustments as have been made to accomplish tion of the pressure are not shown herein, as the desired results have been obtained by they form no part of my present invention. making the copper jaws or clamps proper ad- 3 3 indicate, respectively, the right and left 5 justablc. As these jaws are comparatively hand clamp bodies or blocks, which carry, small, they soon wear and have to be replaced, respectively, the opposite workholders or 45 while, moreover, the contact-surfaces being clamping devices proper, said work-holders small are caused to heat readily. In my or clamping devices being constructed. to perpresent invention I secure the desired adjustmit the work to be readily inserted and re Ioo ment and alinement of the clamping devices moved and to be firmly held during the metalnot by adjusting the clamp-jaws themselves, working operation. It is preferred to em- 5 but by mounting them upon suitable clamp ploy for these clamping or work-holding debodies or frames, which in turn are adjustvices the construction herein particularly deable upon the current-supplying platen or scribed, although so far as the manner of block, but in a direction transverse to the line mounting and adjusting the clamp bodies or frames 3 3 is concerned my invention obviously does not depend upon the use of any particular kind of clamping-jaws or means for actuating and guiding the same to clamp or free the work. Referring first to the lefthand clamp-body 3, the same is shown as provided with two jaw-bearing slides or blocks i, movable toward one another to clamp the work, here shown as consisting of a piece of Wire 5, which is to be welded to a similar piece 5, clamped between the jaws of jawbearing slides 4 4 on the opposite clamp-body. These slides or blocks 4: are preferably both movable in suitable guideways formed in the clamp-body 3, which guides may be of any suitable form and are provided, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2, with the guide-plates 6, secured to the upper edge of the ways in which the blocks L slide and adapted to hold the same in place. Upon the ends of the slides or blocks 4 are thejaws proper, 7, which immediately engage the work. The adjustment of the slides and jaws with relation to the work held between them in the direction of the clamping pressure is secured in the case of one of the jaws by means of a suitable adjustment-screw 8, this adjustment being a slow adjustment or one for different kinds or characters of work. The adjustment of the other jaw for quickly clamping and unclamping the work by the operator is effected in any desired manneras, for instance, by means of the cam-lever 9, carrying the cam 9, engaging the wear-plate 10 upon the end of the jaw-bearing slide. The turning of the lever in one direction applies pressure by the cam to clamp the work. By turning the lever in the other direction the pin 12 thereon is caused to engage a hook 13, carried by the slide or block L, so as to positively free the jaw from the work. Obviously other means might be used for clamping and unclamping the successive pieces of work to be operated upon. The jaws themselves may be detachably secured to the jaw-carrying blocks or slides by means of the screws M, which pass into the jaw proper from the rear of the slide, preferably through vertically-elongated openings in the slide, so that the position of the jaw vertically or in a line transverse to the line of pressure applied to the heated section of work may be varied. I do not limit myself, however, to the use of a detachable jaw secured in this particular manner. The adjustment vertically of said jaw may be effected by one or more screws 15, which pass through an overhanging plate secured to or forming a part of the jaw-carrying slide and engage with a jaw at its top, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3. 1n the case of the left-hand clamp-body 3, which, as usual in the art, is in electrical connection with the platen 2, 1 provide means for adjusting said clamp-body as a whole with its pair of clamping-jaws mounted on it in the manner desoaoas scribed or in any other suitable manner. This adjustment of the clamp-body proper is in a line transverse to the line of welding pressure for the purpose of varying the position of the line of clamping with reference to the line of clamping effected by the opposite pair of jaws. Preferably this transverse adjustment of the clamp-body is in a vertical line with relation to the platen Z, or, in other words, is transverse not only to the line of pressure applied to the heated work, but to the line of clamping pressure for the pair of jaws carried by said clamp-body 3. To effect such transverse adjustment, I prefer to employ the following devices, which while providing the proper adjustment also insure good electrical connection between the clamp-body and the platen:

16 indicates a plate having opposite bearing-surfaces which form an angle to one an other and which plate is capable of sliding upon the face of the platen 2 and of supporting the clamp-body by correspondingly-inclined bottom surfaces, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, so that by longitudinal adjustment of the wedge-shaped or inclined-plane plate 16 the position of the clamp-bod y may be changed vertically. This adjustment of the plate 10 is preferably effected by means of a screw '17, mounted in suitable hearings on the platen. The clamp-body is itself guided on suitable pins 18, which are mounted in the platen 2 and which may also perform the ollice when provided with suitable heads of clamping the parts down in any adjusted position. These pins 18 pass through openings in the plate .16, which are elongated in the direction of adjustmentofsaid plate. As will be obvious, it is simply necessary to loosen the screw-pins l8 and turn the adjusting-screw 17 in either direction, as may be desired, to change the position of the clam p-jaws 7, carried by clampbod y 3, with reference to the clamp-jaws carried by the opposite clamp-body 3. N hen the proper adjustment has been secured, the screws 18 are tightened to hold the parts firmly in the desired relative position.

The right-hand body 3 may be mounted, as shown, upon a pin 19 to be permitted to be turned upon the vertical axis or axis transverse to the line of pressure applied to the heating section of work. Preferably this axis is so arranged as to be also transverse to the axis or line of clamping pressure applied by the clamping device carried by said clampbody 3. The pin or pivot 19 may be a screw pin or pivot mounted in the platen 2 and serving likewise, if desired, as a means for fixing said clamp-body in the position in which its clamping-jaw and the work carried thereby shall keep the desired angular relation to the opposite pair of clamping-jaws and section of work carried by the latter, or, if desired, and preferably, supplemental clamp-screws (indicated at 9.0) may be employed. for the purpose of fixing the clamp-body in the desired position. u

I claim as my invention- 1. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination of a clamp body or frame carrying a pair of clamping-jaws for holding the Work, a block or platen forming the terminal of a source of heating-current and supporting said clamping-body, and means for adjusting said clamping body or frame upon said block or platen in a line transverse to the line of pressure applied to the work.

2. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination of a clamp body or frame carrying a pair of clamping-jaws, a block or platen "forming the terminal of a source of heating-current and supporting said clamping-body and means for adjusting said clamping body or frame upon said block or platen vertically with relation to said current-supplying block or platen.

3. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination of the currentsupplying block or platen, and a clamp body or frame carrying a pair of clamping jaws or devices for holding the work, and a pair of supporting and guiding pins upon which said clampbody is vertically adjustable to and from the current-supplying block or platen.

4:. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination of a current-supplying block or platen, a clamp-body carrying adjustable clamp-jaws for grasping or holding the work, and a supporting-block for said clamp-body said supportingblock having an inclined bearing-face and being combined with means for adjusting it longitudinally upon the platen to vary the position of the clamp-jaws.

5. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination with a clamp-body provided with a pair of clamp-jaws for holding the work, of a current-supplying block or platen, a guide pin or pins projecting from the latter through the clamp-body, and a wedge-shaped support-plate for said clamp-body longitudinally adjustable on the platen.

6. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination with a clamp-body provided with a pair of clamp-jaws for holding the work, of a current-supplying block or platen, a guide pinvor pins projecting from the latter through the clamp-body, and a wedge-shaped support-plate for said clamp-body longitudinally adjustable on the platen and provided with the elongated openings through which said guide-pins pass.

7. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination of a clamp body or frame carrying a pair of clamping-jaws and means for actuating the same to clamp the work, of a support-plate for said clamp-body having an inclined bearing-face, a current-supplying block or platen upon which said plate rests, means for adjusting the plate on the platen to vary the height of the clamp-body, and

guide-pins for the clamp-body and projecting from the platen through the adjustable plate and clamp-body, as and for the purpose described.

8. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination of a clamp-body provided with guideways, a pair ol jaws carrying slides mounted thereon, means for actuating a slide to clamp and unclamp the work, a supporting platen or block through which current is supplied to the clamp-body and means for adjusting the clamp-body vertically upon said platen or block.

9. In an electric metal-working apparatus, jaw-carrying slides or blocks adjustable transversely to the line of pressure and mounted upon a clamp-body carried by a current-supplying block or platen and vertically adjustable on said platen.

10. In an electricmetal-working apparatus, a jaw-carrying slide or block, means for actuating the same to cause it to engage the work and a clamp-jaw on said block or slide adjustable in a line transverse to the line of pressure applied to the slide or block for the purpose of clamping the work.

11. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination of a jaw-carrying block or slide of a clamp-jaw detachably secured thereto by means of two or more clamp-screws passing into the jaw from the rear of the slide and through enlarged openings permitting a vertical adjustment of the clamp-jaw proper upon its support.

12. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination of a jaw-carrying block or slide, and a clamp-jaw detachably secured thereto by means of two or more clam p-screws passing into the jaw from the rcarof the slide and through enlarged openings permitting a vertical adjustment of the clamp-jaw proper upon the clamp slide or block in a line transverse to the line of clamping pressure.

13. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination of a jaw-bearing slide or block, a clamp-jaw detachabl y secured thereto and adjusting-screws for adjusting the position of the jaw in a direction transverse to the line of clamping pressure.

14. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination of a jaw-bearing slide or block, a clamp-jaw detachably secured thereto and adjusting-screws for adjusting the position of the jaw in a direction transverse to the line of pressure applied to the heated work.

15. The combination in an electric metalworking apparatus, ol a jaw-bearing block or slide and a clamp jaw detachably secured thereto and adjustable on said block or slide in a line transverse to the line of pressure applied to the heated work.

16. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination with a jaw-bearing block or slide, of a clamp-jaw secured thereto and an adjusting screw or screws carried by the block or slide and. engaging said jaw for adjusting it in a line transverse to the line of clamping pressure and the line of pressure applied to the heated work.

17. In an electric metal-working apparatus, a clamp-body carrying clamp-jaws and pivotally mounted on an axis transverse to the axis or line of pressure applied to the heated work.

18. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the con'ibination of a current-carrying platen or block, and a clamp-body pivotally supported thereon and provided with a pair of clampjaws for holding the work.

19. In an electric metal-working apparatus,

the combination with a current-carrying block or platen, of a clamp-body pivotally mounted thereon, and jaw-carrying slides or blocks mounted on the clamp-body and adapted to apply pressure to the work on the line transverse to the axis on which the clamp-body is pivoted.

Signed at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, this 2d day of November, A. D. 1903.

ADOLPH F. RIETZEL.

lVitnesses:

O. I. LINDSEY, E. W. HAwms. 

